Why does everyone insist of acting like I'm an idiot for saying I'm doing cloth diapers? It's really been ticking me off lately.It's not really people I know and trust. Which, as I'm discovering, is true about most of the "advice" I'm getting. If it's given from a trusted friends or family members, I appreciate their thoughtful opinions, and I'm glad they've shared their wisdom with me. The problem is from the fringe elements—co-workers that I don't know that well, people I would label as "acquaintances" rather than friends.
These are the people who, maybe because they don't know me as well?, seem eager to criticize my choices. These are the people who don't hesitate to tell me that I'm gaining too much weight, or too little. Or that I shouldn't be drinking caffeine, or sleeping on my back, or whatever else they can think of.
These people also have a united opinion when it comes to cloth diapers, I'm discovering. I wouldn't really say they give "advice" about the subject, because that would imply perhaps some useful instructions. Instead, when they hear "cloth diapers," I just get attitude. A little laugh or an "Oh, really?" and a smirk that clearly indicates they think I have no idea what I'm doing, and I'll learn soon enough that cloth diapers are too messy/inconvenient/expensive/what have you to actually be feasible.
I'm not saying that I'm a complete expert on cloth diapers. But that's just it—I'm not an expert on ANYTHING baby!!! I can just study up, get opinions of people I trust and make the decision that is most in line with my beliefs and values. And to me, choosing the (slight? insurmountable? imagined?) inconvenience of cloth diapers over disposable is important enough to my beliefs about the environment and personal responsibility to still make that choice.
And even though none of YOU, my loyal readers, are the scoffing opinion-foisters, I'll still include a few links about cloth vs. disposable, for your reference:
The Simple Dollar cost-comparison of cloth vs. disposable
"Joy of Cloth Diapers" at Mothering Magazine
"Just the Basics" at Cotton Babies
3 comments:
You can always roll out the "at least my cloth ones won't be rotting in a landfill for the next thousand years along with all the crap you are throwing in your garbage".
It always surprises me how few people know that throwing soiled diapers/nappies in the garbage is illegal in most countries - because it's classed as human waste...
First of all: YAY YOU for doing cloth diapers!! It's so much more environmentally responsible. My mom used cloth diapers on all of us kids so I knew how to use cloth diapers at the age of 10. They're not that hard.
Secondly, check out my friend Eileen's website. She is using some sort of washable, easy-to-use cloth diaper called Bum Genius(?). Check it out: http://everythingeileen.vox.com/library/post/i-3-bumgenius-30.html.
(I don't know how to link this here so you'll have to copy-and-paste.) :o)
I am absolutely amazed at how trendy "being green" is becoming in the past year or so. Hopefully that means people will soon be embarrassed or at least aware of the fact that disposable diapers are so wasteful!
Gege: I had to laugh at your link, because Bumgenius 3.0 is what we're getting! We've heard them praised by personal friends and other websites alike, and have never heard anything bad about them. So it's great to hear about another satisfied customer!
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